Walnut, Black

Here we have the Black Walnut, or Juglans nigra, a tree frequently planted by early settlers of the Midwest as a food source. The Black Walnut is allelopathic, secreting a toxic substance through its roots to inhibit the growth of nearby plants. This medium-sized tree typically matures to heights of 70-80 feet and can live up to 250 years. While its lumber is highly valuable, its wildlife uses are limited to the nuts, which are favored by red and gray squirrels. The leaves of the Black Walnut are yellowish green, up to two feet long, and can have as many as 23 serrated leaflets. This tree is one of the first to lose its leaves in late summer. The walnuts produced are rounded with deep grooves and turn dark brown when ripe. The mature bark is medium brown with thick, interlacing ridges that sometimes form diamond-like shapes, and the inner bark is chocolate brown, similar to the White Walnut.